


Coral

by Mamabot (JeanFi)



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Prime Blood, Widowed, widower
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 23:17:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7660996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeanFi/pseuds/Mamabot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>{I don't think you need to know my AU to enjoy this.}</p><p>Widowed-Firestar is in Icon, and and Optimus has to go to Earth for a meeting, thus offering her his unused quarters as he is not using them. When he returns to his quarters, Firestar has delivered her daughter.  The two have been friends for a long time, just as they were friends with each others mates. It's natural to grieve with each other in a way that only they can understand. Sometimes comforting leads to a longing they haven't had in a very very long time.</p><p>For one night... they find the comfort and solace in a trusted set of arms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Optimus softly makes his way inside his personal quarters.  The flight had been easy and the negotiations typical, annoying.  Arriving back to his home city of Iacon and finding one of his commanders has successfully delivered a brand new life is wonderful.  Especially seeing how it belongs to two of his dear friends.  The Prime rubs his chest where the Matrix gives a slightly different hum hearing a voice.  It is a femme singing a lullaby.

_Hello my little spark of light_

_Let me tell you how your birth took flight._

_Long before you were a hope in your creator's spark_

_Before you were a sign of your sire's mark_

_You were our one and only delight_.

        Optimus steps even softer down the hall to come closer to the voice.

_For we had gone to the Well_

_We had asked Primus for his spell_

_We had asked for a little sparkling gift_

_We prayed that he would be swift_

_For our sparks were racing to be quelled_

            He was quite surprised to see the door open to his private berth room.

_And upon that precious day_

_We heard our favorite medic say_

_I dosest see an extra spark of light_

_Plan now for your days and nights_

_For soon you will have a little one at play._

       A most beautiful sigh captures his attention.  Firestar is standing on his balcony (the only balcony for this apartment suite) just off his personal private berth room, swaying gently back and forth with a little sparkling clutched close to her chest.  Her hand sooths and caressed the little one's back.

_Rest my little star-ling, I feel your beating spark_

_Hush now darling, we are not far apart._

_Oh my little gift, you are a perfect fit._

_Do not worry our love will not split_

_For precious darling dear you share our mark._

         He feels his spark hitch.  This was the very lullaby that he and Elita had sung to their incubating sparkling.  This was the very lullaby Ironhide and Chromia caught him singing while protecting Wroughtiron's incubation pod.  He had never heard anyone but himself and Elita sing it.  I feels so right to see and hear it sung to a living sparkling in it's own creator's arms.

_You will never know fully,  How you fill us completely._

_For we are your yesterday, and you are our tomorrow_

_Do not let your spark furrow or sorrow_

_For you will see tomorrow , Sweetspark_

_Oh precious dear, do you know how long we prayed_

_For we can barely wait until your arrival day._

_Your sire and your creator long to show you the stars_

_For like them you will go very, very far_

       Firestar turns ever so slightly and catches his silhouette in the doorway.  She crooks her finger and beckons him closer.  Hesitantly, he complies.

_So rest your little helm My precious little femme._

_So like your sire  You will set the world on fire._

_And like your beloved creator, Primus grant you a favor._

_That one day, you too will have your only sparkling dear_

_To share everything with both far and near…._

        His large hand just can't resist, it grazes the little one's back.  He strokes the buds on her little tiny shoulders where she will someday get her father's trait.  Firestar smiles, "She'll be able to wear his winglets."  Afraid to speak, he only hums back in agreement.  "Open your arms."  
        Optimus' voice hitches, "I can't."  
       Firestar's voice hitches in return to his own loss. "You must.  She needs to feel her sire."  It takes a couple more shoves from the orange femme, but then the larger mech is holding the tiny femme against the Matrix and his own spark.  He nuzzles her and breathes in her fresh sparkling smell.  A preciously rare smell.  It only lasts for a few weeks with them.  Intoxicatingly calming, soothing.  Soon he is humming to the little one and swaying her.  
         It was a gift he had been robbed of.  His own sparkling had perished within and with her mother.  He has been reluctant to hold any of the other new sparklings that came along.  But this one is going to need extra special attention with her father deceased.  She is sireless.  Auma: a precious fire…  
       Firestar slips an arm around Optimus' waist to snuggle next to her daughter and the mech holding her.  "So what do you think?"  He doesn't say anything too wrapped up in the feel of a brand new life within his palms.  "Optimus?"  
        "She's beautiful,"  the Iacon breeze almost carries his soft words off before Firestar could catch them.  "You are blessed."  
        The sparkling hicups a sigh and squirms in his arms.  Firestar starts to reach for her, but Optimus is already striding towards the guest room.  Inside is a sparkling berth directly beside her carrier's.  As if he is holding a piece of hand blown glass, Optimus lays the sparkling down.  Pulling the blanket over her, he leans in and kisses her forehelm, "Sweet stasis, little precious fire."  He stays a few minutes watching her sleep.  Then he steps towards the door.  
         Firestar is in the hallway, tears streaming down her face.  Softly he closes the door and in two strides he has her enveloped in his massive arms of comfort.  Once again, nothing is said between the widows.  No it is more than that.  
          One knew her daughter would never know her father who loved her very much.  
          One would never know his daughter to whom he loved very much.  
  
         Optimus cups her cheek and rubs it with a very warm thumb, "I'm sorry, Firestar."  
         She pressed her knee to his cod in symbolism.  Optimus winces knowing all too well what a punch a smaller femme's pointed knee could do to his very delicate mech-parts.  "If I ever hear that phrase again, that person is going to go down screaming.  Do you understand?"  
          Instantly she regrets the last part of that statement and her eyes turn pained for his own losses.  Optimus' gaze is not one of anger or of shame.  If anything, it's for understanding hers far too well.  His tone is even softer and deeper as he leans in, "All too well."  
         They just stare at each other trying to read each other's mind.  Their sparks have already communicated and are in sync.  He leans in closer.  The cupped cheek is pulled closer to his.  With an ever so slight tilt, his lips press to hers.   
          Completely understood.  Complete acceptance.  Compatible need.  
         Her palm leaves his chest and cups his own cheek parting her lips to get a better grasp on his.  A taste of a lost love.  A moment in time for warmth and comfort.  
         He's been here before, as good as it feels to touch and caress, he knows this is wrong.   _Her mate is dead.  Your mate is dead._  
         Death does not separate loyalties.   _You have never been a frivolous mech, you're due for attention._  
         What of her?  This is wrong to use her grief for my own physical needs.   _What of your grief?  Who said this was about physical needs?_  
          Her leg slips off his armor covered cod _,_ only to slip between his firm solid thighs.  He whimpers in the sensation.  She presses closer to his frame clutching his lower back.  He pushes the kiss deeper continuing to wrestle with his demon.  Her hand reaches up and grabs his very sensitive helm antenna.   
          That does it! He groans and plunging his tongue onto her mouth.  Greedily she takes it and gives her own. __  
Oh the taste of a bonded mech! A mech loyal to his love, and not a player.  Now it was her turn to chastise herself. _This is so wrong.  He's hurting, don't take advantage of him.  Do not greedily take the compassion he is offering.  You will only break his spark._  
          She sharply pulls back. "I'm sorry, Optimus, I shouldn't have taken advantage of you."  
         His spark is racing and his head still spinning from the passionate kiss hastily broken.  No! It's the taste of need that only two widows can even fathom.  And then, a shiver of amusement.  He beams a rare smile at her.  He rubs his nose against hers locking his gaze with her, "I hate those words: 'I'm sorry'.  Don't ever say them to me again."  
           She can't help but smile and giggle back.  "I know why Elita fell so hard for you."  
          "Inferno was one slagging lucky mech, and he knew it, too!  Fragger was rather cocky in his pride of having your spark share his."  
          Firestar pushes the issue, "Elita was not shy in her love for you, either.  Locked away on that base alone without our mates," Optimus flinches in pain for that decision again and she knows it but it doesn't sway her statement, "Femme's talk."  
         Optimus pulls back from his pain and narrows his gaze pondering where she is going.  Neither one has removed their hands from waists, cheeks or helms.  In fact those thumbs are still stroking caresses.  He cants his head, "Bond-mechs boast, too you know."  
         She whispers and strokes the helm in a particular way making his knees weaken, "Femmes spill over Magnus' stolen high grade."  
         Optimus thumbs a particular spot in her lower back returning the torture , "Mechs long for sleeping with warm loves in their arms."  
         Firestar tugs on his antenna to bring his face closer.  He complies figuring her to tease him verbally again.  She doesn't.  Her mouth captures his again.  Slowly she just reaches out and surrounded his lips with hers.  Suckling them, drawing them inside her mouth and then teasing them to part with just the tip of her tongue, he moans and gives into her easily.  The palm slips from her cheek to slide around her shoulders firmly clasping her to his large hot frame.  He isn't going to let her go.  Her grip tightens on his helm antenna.  She isn't going to let him retreat into honor, duty, or guilt again.  No, she needs him right here, right now.  Deny it if he like, but she knows he needs her as well.  
  
          Logically they are not betraying their bonds with their dead mates. The mates were within _the All Spark._ Optimus and Firestar are here without Inferno or Elita.  Hungrily they caressed the living warm bodies beneath their palms.  The aft that is so smooth.  The back that is so strong.  The delicate neck that tasted so good under these lips.  
           "Please…."  she doesn't dare use a name because it wouldn't belong to the mech in her arms.  
            "Of course…" he like wise responds with out a name.  It would only snap them into guilty grief again.  He lifts her from the floor and takes her within his private quarters shutting the door.  
             He looks to the open balcony, "Shall I close it?"   
             "I want to feel the fresh air on me…"  He only presses a warm kiss to her forehelm and lays her across his massive berth.  Then touches the controls to the apartment intercom incase the little one cries her mother.  I moves her to see he hasn't forgotten her sparkling.  He would have been a wonderful sire.  
            Finished, he glances down to the silent femme laying on his berth.  He read all those emotions she doesn't say towards him. She has always found him extremely attractive -sexy- for caring about offspring.  He's seen that look from other femmes, but there was only one to whom he responded back.  Firestar tries to speak, he knows exactly what she would have said, 'Optimus, you would have been a wonderful sire.'  In other words, 'I'm sorry your daughter died'. 

           Yes tonight was all about those cursed words and yet trying to bury them.  He presses two fingers to her lips: one for him, one for her.  She says nothing.  Instead she reaches to his asbergo where the Matrix lies.  He lies down beside her and begins popping catches.  Soon the Matrix is released and laid in her hands.  She stares into the depths of it's beauty and all the souls it contains plus the ones it can reach dwelling the All Spark.  There are only two she cares about right now, even though there are many more she loves with in.  
             "Ember, Inferno… can you hear me?"  
            Optimus curls closer to her, protecting her with his body for the onslaught of tears that may come as she croons to her dead first born and her mate.  His frame is large compared to her.  Hers is so near the same size at Elita.  So many lost nights ago, he love to just lay beside his pink mate and watch her read a data pad or tell him a story while he just curled beside her and caressed her hip, her waist, her ankle, her side…  
  
             The Matrix clatters to the floor.  His head snaps to look at the femme under his touch.  Her optic holds that drugged look of arousal.  Oh, right, she is still highly sensitive from the birth only last week.  She reaches to the his loosened armor to find the rest of his catches.  With only a look he asks, _Are you sure?_  
          She pulls back from him and stands up, back to him.  Optimus says nothing.  This is her choice to stay or go.  He would never trick or force or entice a femme into his berth.  Well as mates, Elita was a different story.  That became almost a game!  
            At the sound of armor catches releasing and sliding to the floor, his focus returns to the orange and red femme in his room.  With a only a sultry look over her shoulder, she wants his help.  They know how to send and receive that look all too well.  He chucks his already loosened asbergo and come to her.  
          First ever so gently he takes the protective armor to her helm and sets it on his beside table. Delicate communication equipment inside and all.  His own settles on top a moment later.  Both sigh in contentment of heavier burdens being released.  It also makes it much easier for lips to caress the top of a head, and down to the base of a nape, to nip.  The neck complies and bends to the side allowing the talented lips to caress and tantalize the neck.  
          Meanwhile expert hands stroked down the waist and rib area.  With just a flick of a thumb, the catches are released and painted plates are laid to the floor.  Kisses trail down the central support, suckling at the base of the spine and slipping a tongue under the top band of the aft panel.  A moan, and a hand stretch back to touch his naked silver shoulder.  He chuckles and curls his hands around her thighs, purposely sneaking into the crevices of the armor joints.  Another moan and a stagger.  
   
              He knows she will need to lay down soon.  His assault was getting to be too much.  Reaching up, he releases her hip/aft catches and dropped them.  Then a harder nip to her aft cheek, he turns to kiss and nip her hip, releasing the inner thigh catches on his way down.  
_"Optimus is a biter.  And oh I had no idea how many different types of bites there were until I met him.  He can over load me with just those nips, lips and tips."_ Firestar remembers Elita confessing to her one time.  
          Firestar moans again as he firmly grasps her hips and turns her around.  He burrows his face into her sensitive pelvic region, then nips and licks those too.  He is very careful to the plates still recovering from being expanded by Auma's pod.  
          Firestar swayed again and grabbed his head for support.  Her fingers catch the sliver helm spikes and he shudders.

" _I have overloaded the poor mech by just playing with his helm tips.  If Megatron ever knew he could bring the Prime to his knees by just--"_ Another confession of Elita's comes to Firestar's creative mind.   Firestar strokes them again and again making a wantonness moan come from the mech.  A drop of drool escapes him and trickles down her thigh.

"Hum, Firestar's weakness?  Her waist.  All the way around, like a dancer.  She loves it when I trail my fingers right across her lower back.  One little spot right--"   
This time it is Optimus recalling Inferno's confessions and boasting on a cold an lonely night when they all missed their mates.

"Nuhhhh!"  Firestar gasps.  Optimus smirks.  She looks down.  He looks up.  Oh, they both know it now, they were using what they had learned from those mechly and femmely conversations.  They both smile widely.  It was alright, they were being the other half of their lovers tonight.  

       When Chromia had tempted him, Ironhide was still alive, although Elita was not.  On top of the fact she was drugged and therefore not in her right mind.  Forcefully, Optimus had pushed Chromia aside and ran hurt and angry with himself for even considering for a moment of making love to her.  
       Firestar is very much widowed but she is also very clear minded.  He had given her an out.  She had given him an out.  Neither one took it. It's alright to proceed.   
        Taking a shuddering breath, he watches Firestar back up to the berth and sit.  With a flick of her finger, she silently orders him to strip.  He watches her and ponders how to do this.  Shall he be lecherous and a pleasure bot, or shall he chuck it and just get on with it?  
          Firestar stretches her pede out and flicks a catch on his inner thigh. He cocks a brow.  She flicks a little lower.  And the next one pops.  When she brings her pede up for the other thigh, he shoves it away.  His arms, hips, and legs, and back are all still armored even if it's loose in a few places.  He steps back, closes his optics and concentrates.  Firestar hears a soft hum and then crash.  All his armor has sprung its catches and clattered to the floor.  Firestar giggles.  He cocks a hip rather arrogantly, until a muffled sound is heard from the intercom.  
         Both blanch at the though of waking the sparkling.  They freeze waiting… a few moments pass and nothing more is heard.  He blushes.  She smiles.   Firestar holds a hand out.  He takes it and joins her on his berth on their sides.  She snuggles and nuzzles into his arms tasting his throat.  He softly moans in the comfort, cupping her aft pressing their hips together.  Her hand trails down his chest resting on the slit to his spark chamber.  She can feel it hum, throbbing in warmth.  He tips his head down to watch her. The softness in his optic encourages and welcomes her touch.  She kisses it.  He kisses her head top.  
       A large warm paw draws her thigh over his letting her straddle his larger one.  The hot piece of mechly strength pressed into her aroused pelvis, hitches her breath.  Her response leaves him gasping.

"I don't know how she does it.  But with two fingers, my mate can stroke the cord slit on either side at just the right pressure while slipping her thumb in and bazinga!   There is my hot hard cord is laying in her palm fully extended without me doing a thing.  Let me tell you, choosing a medic as a berth mate… mmmm, best move I ever made.

      "Holy SLAG!"  Optimus gasps.  He looks down.  And sure enough, there was his very large, very hard, very glowing cord extended fully between Firestar's parted fingers.  
        She looks up to him blushing with a cheeky grin.  Optimus crushes a hot passionate kiss onto her unsuspecting mouth.  She moans and arches into him begging for more. He rolls her to her back continuing his caresses with his hands, thighs, grinding hips while claiming her mouth for his own.  Firestar still has the cord in her hand.  Teasing it, stroking it, rounding the tip and feeling the slightest opening.  Like the rest of the mech, completely controlled.  
         But just like the rest of the mech, pent up passion and needed release of energy has to be expelled.  Soon.  He moans in frustration.  He didn't want to release now, but he can feel it won't be long.  Her touch is too much.  It's been way too long!  A loving femme in his palms, in his kisses, touching his body so tenderly--  
        "Ahhhhh!!"  He cries out in frustrated but a needed delightful release.  
         She says nothing.  He yanks his head to the side.  Keeping her grip on the hot cord, her other palm grabs his silver helm tip and brings him back to her kisses.  One, a brush of lips against lips.  Two, a brush and a peck.  Three, a brush and a grasp.  Four, he is ready for her and returns the passion before she can take over.  
         The kiss won't sustain her.  She needs more.  No matter how good a kiss is, a mate needs more.  Her lithe form arches up to his.  He pulls back to his haunches to examine the femme beneath him and caresses her with his optics and fingertips.  A light soft under armor of orange.  No, not orange, _such a stupid name for a color_.  No, she was more delectable than that.  
          "Coral," he whispers.  Her optics widen.  His palms round and sooth the strong yet sensitive underarmor.  "I've never seen this color of coral more beautiful."   
         She blushes and turns her face aside.  The last thing she expected tonight from him was to compliment her on her body.  Compare it to his mate, of course.  She had already been doing that herself.  Optimus is far larger in frame than her Inferno.  With it came heavier weight that Optimus knew how to gently maneuver around her smaller frame.  His kisses were far different, and his _cord_ …. Elita was not exaggerating!  
          Optimus turns to his own comparisons.  Strong firm hips, lithe but strong thighs like all the femme warriors.  Firestar's hips were broader, her shoulders narrower, her bust…  
       "Oh, frag…" she hissed and tries to escape.  She can't, Optimus has her hips between his knees.  She reached for the sheet to hide her lactating mounds stimulated by the excitement.  
         Optimus knows he has to move fast or she will retreat and hide within.  Besides, her scent was stirring him again.  How could the scent of a mother-femme leaking lactation-Energon be so attractive?  Marvelously holy, absolutely incredible, dripping with life giving fluids….  
     He slides back, cups a hand under her lower (hotspot) back and gently lifts as he curls over her.  "So beautiful…," he whispers and kissed her just below her spark slit directly between the two leaking mounds.  
       "Naaa, it isn't…" she tried to cringe but his tantalizing kisses turned her disregarding remark to, "ooohhhhh…."  
        And then, keeping his optics locked with hers, he moves his lips up the side of one mound.  Her mouth gapes open in awe as his opens as well asking permission.  A whimper escapes out.  He takes that as approval and lowers his open mouth to her leaking tip.  He moans in rapture, hers is right behind, clutching his head tight to stay put.  
         It was the sweetest Energon he had ever tasted.  Life giving nectar for her infant.  A blessing.  He nips and her cry is in pain this time.   _Oh, right, they must be that sensitive._ He presses a soothing hot tongue to it in apology.  She rubbed the back of his neck in acceptance.  He doesn't play with one for long, the other is his next mission.  
          When she can't take the fondling anymore, she tugs his helm spike and he draws back with a puckered last kiss to each tip.  

          His cord is back to aching again for attention.  The femme below him is writhing in need of overload as well, making those sounds that if he doesn't push her over soon, he is going to be hurting by her claws.  He draws back, and curled his arm tighter under her lower back, rolling her to touch the bed with only her shoulders and drooped legs.  Her pelvis is pressed to his, his hard glowing cord tip nearly ready for her port.  
         He looks to her optics with pained reserve. She gave birth not long ago. He glances to her weeping mounds in silent explanation.  She smiles to him, "It hasn't been that long ago.  You'll fit just fine. I know you know how to be a gentle lover."  
             His jaw drops.  She just complimented him by saying his cord is nearly as wide as her sparkling.  He chokes and can't move in shock.  He doesn't move.  Her arm comes out and grabs the ball of his shoulder forcing him down.  The cord hesitates one last time.  
            Easily he is stronger than her and could pull back now, but he allows her to guide and draw him into herself.  It takes a bit, but once she is finally able to devour his whole cord,  neither one moves.  
           Physically, they are one.  When was the last time they had been ONE?  Firestar begins to weep.  He has no shame in shivering and shedding a few of his own tears.  Blurred, surrounded… this kind of touch is sacred.  
         He carefully falls to his back, gently pulling her over on top, keeping them connected.  And then he feels it. "Noooo," he whines.  His spark won't listen, though.  It emerges.  Firestar knows he is embarrassed for his spark to so easily expose itself to her, just because they are making love. After all, the only one he ever makes love to is his mate, whom he would never hide his spark from.  
           So she strongly pulses her own spark and began thrusting her hips hoping to let his spark know, this wasn't it's mate. But hers didn't understand.  It comes out, too. It too knows that making love means it must be with it's spark mate. It's been so long, that the sparks are morning and aching to merge with their other halves again. The broken half-sparks just don't understand.  
         And then the real battle begins.  While the bodies join, the sparks bashed and crashed into each other.  They knew their mate has to be near by otherwise the body would never react this way.  But they just didn't understand why the counter part won't merge like they are used to.  Body and sparks are getting frustrated.  Pent up release is emanate.  
       The matched overload cry is of anguish, sorrow, release and yet some how comfort and encouragement. He doesn't let her out of his arms.  She doesn't let him out of hers.  Instead, a calm soothing palm strokes a back and a very tired head rests against a very weary retreating spark.  Stasis is right behind them both.

~~  
           The snuffling of a restless sparkling can be heard through the intercom.  Optimus surfaces first.  He lifts his head and sees Firestar has shifted in his arms.  Ever so slowly, like the times he would slip from under Elita to go to meeting, he lets Firestar settle into his battered pillow.  Careful of his steps around the landmines of scattered armor, he makes his way to the upset sparkling.  He is pretty sure he knew exactly what the new life needs, and he can't give it.  His tone was ever so warm an soothing, "Shhh, our little flame.  It's alright.  You're safe."  He scoops up the precious life and presses her carefully to his naked underarmor.  For just a moment he lets himself believe he was holding Lilly and bringing her to Elita to nurse. For a moment, he pretends he has a family.  
            Ever so carefully he lays the infant next to her mother's leaking breast.  Hungrily the little one latches on and begins to suckle hard.  Firestar grimaces at first, but holds her close.  Optimus curls up behind the mother, propping his head up on a bent elbow to watch, letting the other arm drape over the coral colored waist and soothe the infant while she sucks down her mother's nectar. "Feed well little one.  You have big dreams to accomplish," he softly nudges.  
         Firestar may have looked asleep, but she snuggles into his caresses. "I saw your Lilly."  She watches his hand still on her sparkling's back.  "Do…do you want to know?"  He nods his head and brushes her temple with a kiss.  This is no easier for her than it is for him.  She loved Elita's sparkling as much as any of the Autobots.  Lilly was to be so much more than the his gift to Elita.  She was to be the Princess of the Autobots. She was to be the first of the next generation.  
        "It was too soon for her colors.  But I have scan of her from that morning.  Stage two allowed us to see her helm buds, spiked like you but in Elita's position.  Your narrow hips, not Elita's broad ones."  A chuckle rumbles against her back, he loved Elita's hips and she wished his narrow ones for herself.  

          Firestar switches Auma to the other breast, and yawns.  "These feeding are going to kill me."  
          "I'm--" he stops at the jerk of her head.  "Maybe I shouldn't have...."  
         Firestar reaches up grabbing that helm spike of his and pulls his face closer, "Don't. You. Dare. Start. That.  Got it, Optimus?"  He can't move, so he just closes his optics and huffs softly.  Can't he have any rights to his guilt?  She stretches up and kisses his mouth tenderly.  "I would like to do it again."  His optics pop open.  "You're very good." She yawns again and he sniggers at her.  She laughs shoving his helm away, "Oh, shut up."  
        He adjusts both her and the sparkling so he is cradling them both with a plan in mind.  Sure enough, Firestar slips back to sleep before the sparkling does.  He slips Auma from her mother's arms, wraps her blankie around her, drapes the adult thermal blanket over the mother and goes to the balcony.  From there, he burps the infant and admires Auma immensely.  When she drifts back to sleep, {little mouth open against the ball of his naked shoulder, breathing slowly} he takes her back to her little quiet berth in the other room.

              Then he returns to his berth.  Would it be wrong of him to spend one night as if he had his family?  While pondering, the blanket is drawn aside and a hand offered.  He slips in beside her and pulls her to his chest.  One night of a bonded family life….  
   
          This time they make love tenderly (body and spark) and it silently leaves them both exhausted emotionally more than physically this time.    
  
~~O~~    
             Sounds from down in the courtyard, drift up through his balcony doors, awakening the naked Prime. The sound of the second generation preparing for a group game with laughter is a welcome sound to online to.  But he doesn't move.  Instead he feels weird and tries to diagnose it.  His spark strangely feels happy, yet crushed.   _I've got to be glitched._   His body is sore and aches in a few odd places, yet a sigh of welcomed use.   _What the slag happened to me?_

          Then he smells it.  And he feels the stickiness on his body.  His spark plummetes.  His arm reached out for the poor unfortunate femme he had sworn to both her and her mate that he would protect and never ever harm.   No!! He's alone.  Where is she?!  
         Wait!  What is that?  
          Lifting his head he sees a data pad.  Lifting it to his optics, it first flashes a picture of a medical scan.  Checking the date, it is a prenatal image of his Lilly.  His breath catches  And then the image changes.  It's a recent letter in femme writing…  
  
_Dearest Optimus,_  
   Thank you for last night.  It was just what Auma and I needed.  I hope you don't mind me leaving you a picture of your Lilly.  I wanted to give it to you but time just never seemed to be on my side.            
  _Please, you know this is for the best.  Do not wallow in guilt for I have none.  Inferno and Elita will not curse us.  Please my friend, be at peace.  Thank you, and I will never say those words to you again either, deal?_  
      One last thing…. I do not know if Primus will grant me one last gift for you, but if he does and some day you meet a femme that your spark sings to and she introduces herself as Coral, do not court her.  

     She didn't sign it and says nothing else.  He knows Firestar had taken Auma back to the refugee planet to raise her sireless daughter alone.  She never gave Optimus a chance to offer being her second mate and second sire to Auma, knowing it would be too easy for both of them to say yes….  

He clutched the data pad to his chest and turned his face to his pillow  
........and cries.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After one night with Firestar.....
> 
>  
> 
> {* Smudge, Mercy, Auma, Coral, Lilly all my OC's from my Spark of Bots/ Prime Blood AU. I don't think you need to know the whole AU to enjoy the angst and twisting of the spark.}

One Day with Coral:

{continuation of One Night For Coral}

**~~Haven:  Refugee Planet~~~  
**   


         Optimus strides through the path between stalls in the market place of the refugee planet.  It has been a very long time since he has been here.  Not since his resurrection has he been back.  The planet is peaceful, fruitful, and thanks to his Autobots and a few silent Decepticons, the planet has been safe.  

       The smells of the market air waffed over him.  Oh, he feels like a sparkling again with his creator's home cooking waiting for him.  And the laughter.  Not an argument in sight!  The place is so peaceful.  He so wanted to come sooner, duties of the Prime are not always kind.  But there is one small major reason that has held him back.

        Turning down another street into the main city, he hears a youngling crying.  His spark lurches.  A youngling in distress instantly makes his protective sire-mode kick into near warrior/guardian status!  His pedsteps increase their speed towards the sound.  Yet it feels like his spark is guiding his pede steps direction rather than his audio receptors.  It is a good thing too.  These taller buildings of stone deflected and reflected the sound giving his audio receptors a fight with his spark.  The audios want him to go one way, but he follows the spark instead.  
  
         Rounding the next corner, he freezes.  There is a young femme not yet school age, huddled in a ball, faceplate buried in her knees beside a dumpster crying most distressfully.  Optimus slows his steps knowing his large size has a tendency to scare poor unsuspecting young ones.  
        "Hello?  Did I hear a voice?"  Optimus tries to sound warm and comforting as possible even though his spark is aching (strangely) in pain for this little one as if she was Lilly.  
         The back of the little femme is a soft warm orangish-red color.  Lifting her head, his spark clenches, nearly stalling.  His own young optics stare  straight back at him within a helm he recognizes all too well with small silver pointed spikes.  His. This sparkling very easily could be....his.   
          Her face is clearly her creators.    
          He stumbles back and whispers the sparkling's name in his spark,  _Coral.  My Coral_.   "Oh Primus…"  
          Her voice wobbles, "Hel- llo?"  
          He just stares at her for a moment and finally finds his voice. "You look to be in distress…. "  It takes all he has not to rush her and clutch her to his chest and never ever release her from his grasp.  He has no idea what has stopped him from doing so. 

           The little one screws up her face in confusion, "Huh?"  
            He smiles.   _Big words, small bot, duh, Optimus_   "Are you lost, Sweetspark?"  
           Her face gives a hint of a smile, "Mama calls me that.  But I'm not supposed to talk to bots I don't know without a grown up."  
  
            He smiles at the smart femme.  He sticks his hand out, "Smart daughter you are.  Your mother is very right.  My name is Optimus and you don't have to believe me, but I do only want to help."  
           She watches him for a moment and holds a hand out.  But not to his hand, to his chest.  She touches it right where his spark resides pleading to touch her.  His body sags, it's true.  He already knows her name before she says it.  "Your spark feels warm and comfortable like Mama said my sire's would feel.  But you aren't my sire."    
             It is a sad-painful jolt to Optimus for a moment.  "My sire's name is Orion and my name is Coral," she continues.  
           Optimus puts single finger over hers touching his chest.  "I… I…. see, um Coral.  Should… should we help find your parents?  I'm sure they are quite worried."  
            Coral nods, "Mama's away and I can't find Mercy or my brother Smudge.  He's gonna be mad I got lost."  
            Optimus' face falls. "If I know Smudge, he will forget all his anger as soon as he sees you safe.  Come, show me where you last saw them and we will track them down from there.  What do you think?"  He turns a palm up to her ungloved.   
  
             She looks down at his offered left palm and sees a bright pink glyph tattoo-engraved to the base of the ring finger.  Her little tiny finger trails it.  "This is a strange place for a tattoo.   What does it mean?"  
              Optimus takes a slow breath, "Someone I loved very much.  With all my spark."  
              She looks up to his sad optics, "Like a sparkmate?"  
               He nods, "Yes, she was my mate."  
               "What's her name?  I can't read this."  
               He watches his daughter trace each curve and each line.  No one has touched this name in so long, and yet now, his daughter's tiny finger nearly fits inside the grooves.  It feels good.  "Elita."  
               Coral gives off a delighted laugh. "My mother had a best friend Elita!  I wonder how many Elita's were out there?"  
              Optimus whispers, "Only one," but she doesn't hear it.  
             Coral steps closer and digs her fingers in to his broad chest doing her best to hug his large body with her small arms. "You look so sad.  It's okay, I know how that feels.  Mama says I take after my sire and get dis- dis-spotched."

              "Dis-spotched?"  Optimus nearly chuckles at the stuttered confusing word being used to describe him. They look to each other again.  Both confused by the word.  She is frustrated he doesn't understand her, and he wanting to understand WHAT Firestar has told their daughter about him. "What does it mean?"  
              Coral huffs, "Mama says my sire gets dis-spotched, you know really sad, really upset.  Like when you see only darkness and don't want to talk to anyone."  
            "Despair?  Despondent?"  He softly mutters, "She would."  
              "Oh yeah!" Her little face beams with happiness that someone can tell her about her father.  "That's the word!  Do you know my sire?!"  
_Better than you think, my precious dear one._ But keeps it to himself.  Instead he sighs, "We better find Smudge and Mercy."  
             She matches his sigh, "Yeah, I guess so."  He chuckles, because her pursed lips remind him so much of Firestar.

             He offers her a palm and she climbs up to settle into the crook of his arm.  He rises to his full height and holds her close while walking out of the alley.  True it would have been easiest to call on the overriding com-line he has as Prime to Smudge, but he is feeling greedy in wanting this one day with his daughter.  He was denied this with Lilly.  Coral's relationship to him has to be hidden for obvious reasons.  Firestar has done so to save his guilt for their one night stand and to keep him from worrying about them. Further more him being torn between duty of Prime or Parent. On top of all that,  perish the thought he or she was ever captured. This way Coral could never be used against him and perish the thought anything ever happened to Coral, Optimus wouldn't grieve over her, too.  

          He sighs again knowing it had all been done in love, but still…. _Just one day, please._  
          "Optimus, can I ask you something?"  The small voice brings his attention back to the small spark within his grasp right now.  
          "Yes, my Sweetspark," it slipped out before he knew and grimaced.  She giggles at the funny expression on his face.  He frowns at her laughing at him, but gives her a twinkling glint of his optics. "You have a question, I believe."  
            She smiles and pats his cheek, "Do you believe in Primus and the Matrix?"  
            He nods reverently, "Most assuredly."  
            "Huh?"  
            He smiles again at his big words confusing the little one. "Yes, with all my spark."  
           "How can our god be so mean?"  
           "Excuse me?"  He stops and turns fully to the light orangish-pink femme.   
           She bites her lip in fear she may have offended the big mech who is only trying to help her find her family.  She hides her face, "I'm sorry.   That was rude of me."  
            He shakes his head very slowly and very softly, nudges her to continue, "No, you haven't offended me.  I'm curious why you would feel our god is so cruel."  
         "Mama's first sparkling died.  She said my sire's first sparkling perished as well along with his mate."  Optimus' spark lurches at the memory of seeing his beloved's beaten body within her casket knowing his infant still lay encased within her pod and carrier's crushed body.  "Optimus, are you alright?"  
         Optimus only nods, trying to clear his vocorder.  He rolls a finger for her to continue.  She narrows her gaze wondering once again if she should.  He gives her a hint of a smile and she does move on with her thoughts.  
          "Why did he allow a sparkling to begin if it wasn't brought forth completely?  Why let a child die?  I see some of the very sick and battered femme's and sparklings that arrive here chased, harassed, abused…"  She shudders and seems near angered and hurt.  
           "I have no complete answer for you little one."  He eases the frustration he can see building in the little-himself.  A large palm curls the little one closer to his throbbing spark.  "Dear little one, these are questions even big mechs ask."  
            "Do you?"  
            A hot sirely breath ghosts across her helm, "Yes, and then some more."  
            She snuggles into his arms, resting her head near the spark that pulses so comfortingly like her mother's.  He keeps walking towards the market place as she asks,  "Like what?"  
              Optimus thinks hard.  He could tell her all the things that trouble his spark, but no.  No need to bring her more _dis-spotchery._ Instead he brings a lighter question, "Why is this sky the strange green color, while another planet has a blue one?  Why is a turbofox so darn cute, but destructive?  What is the reason for Drillers?"  
              "What's a Driller?"  
           The big mech chuckles heavily.  Coral pulls back and Optimus gives her his best scowl of disgust trying to make a fearsome face, "A terrible beast that digs and eats holes in my home devouring anything in it's path."  
           "Ew!"  She wiggles and giggles as his expression turns amused at her reaction.  
            She lifts her head and he gives her a silly look, "How about turbo fleas?"  
           "Scraplets!" She shrugs her hands.  
           "Ugh, don't remind me!"  Just for fun he scratches the back of his neck ferociously, then smiles.   
            She giggles, "Optimus, you are so silly."  He shrugs and gives his best _whatever_ smirk.  
            She then burrows into his chest again, "I wish my Papa was here to giggle with me."  
             He cuddles her close again. "Tell me about him."  He can hardly wait to hear what Firestar has told their daughter.   
             "He's a secret librarian."  
             "Really?" Optimus is astonished.  It is the last thing he expected Firestar to tell Coral.  
             "Mm-huh!  Mama said he is soooo smart it makes her jealous."   
             "Hm?"  He ponders that for a moment.  "Do tell."  
             "But the problem is if anyone knows where his secret research place is, it could put the whole planet in danger.  He's trying to find information that will save all Cybertron.  Until then, just like we refugees have to be hidden here until it's safe for us to come home, so he must stay hidden.  He doesn't like it though.  He loves us very much, but it breaks his spark not to be here with me."  
              "Do you believe he loves you even though you've never seen him?"  He's a bit terrified of her answer will be.  
               Coral yanks her head from his chest, "How dare you question my sire's love!" She pounds a small fist on his chest.  
               Optimus' optics go wide at the retort.  "Um, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to offend."  
             Smart as a whip, she sees the reflection to their earlier conversation.  Her posture changes quickly, "No, of course you wouldn't."  
             "Let me try again."  He drops is tone ever so warmly, "How do you know you sire loves you so much?"  
             "I have one thing he left with me when he found out Mama was expecting me."  
             Optimus stumbles then stops, Firestar never told him she was expecting! What could Firestar have possibly given their daughter!  His optics go absolutely wide with shock when his daughter pulls at her light armor and pulls out a battered Autobot shield from over her spark.  Not just any shield, but Elita's, he would know those chips, dents, and flecks of paint anywhere.  It was the one he had pulled from Elita dead-grey armor when he saw it laying in the casket on the Wreckers' Moonbase where Ultra Magnus kept it protected until he could bury it properly. Optimus had kept the shield pressed to the under side of his asbergo against his spark chamber.  He had removed it the morning after he felt he had betrayed Elita with the one night with Firestar.  Within a matter of weeks he had gotten over his guilt and looked for it.  Tore his whole apartment to shreds trying to find it.  It grieved him all over again when he couldn't find it, afraid he had lost it forever.   
             But here it is now. His beloved's shield of honor and duty in his offspring's tender palms. Not just his mate's shield, but Firestar's beloved friend's and dear commander's shield of allegance. This shield has has much meaning to Optimus as it does to Firestar. He's not angry that Firestar got a hold of it, actually, it warms him that she has kept it safe all this time.  
              Coral lays it in his hand.  He soothes the shield and then presses it to his lips.  
              "Optimus?" the confused sparkling looks worried again.  
_Think fast you nut job, think fast._ "I figured I would kiss it in your sire's place.  Now tuck that away carefully back over your spark. Yes it is very precious.  Do not loose it."  
              Coral tucks it back against her spark, just like Firestar knew he used to wear it.  Slowly Coral brings her optics back to him watching her, "You… you know my sire don't you?"  
              He can only nod tears of joy and loss threatening to mingle and spill over.  
              "Can you give him something for me?"  
              Once again he can only nod.  She reaches up and kisses Optimus' cheek.  "I love you, sire-daddy.  Don't be sad.  Peace will come soon.  You work hard and I'll be with you soon."  
             Optimus' chest hitches and shudders clutching the femme even closer.  A single tear slips out and rolls down his cheek.  He won't let go.  The sparkling knows this big mech needs a hug as much as she does and wraps her little arm as tight as she can to him.  Another tear slips off his cheek to her shoulder.  
            Slowly Coral pulls back a breath and catches a tear and smiles, "Optimus, it's okay.  You'll be with your family soon."  Once again, he can only nod and give her a winning smile.  If only she knew how much her kind spark and little arms have made his lifetime.

~~0~~  
            "There you are!!  Oh I was so worried-" the fire engine red mech races towards them.  This startles his pink mate holding her own little red sparkling.     
             Coral's mother is mother keeping pace beside them clutching another red femme sparkling just a bit older than Coral in her arms. "Optimus!!"  
   
                Optimus turns from the small femme in his arms telling him a delightful story to the red rescue mech before him with white ladder winglets just like his father's.  Part of him is glad to see them, but he also knows, his time with his daughter is up.  "Smudge, Coral and I were just talking about you."  
                "That's my big brother!"  Like a flying squirrel, Coral leaps from Optimus' arms to Smudge's waiting ones.  
                 The red mech cuddles her so tightly, "Primus Coral!  I had a spark attack when Mercy said she lost you."  
              She cocks a helm at him, "You did?!  Ffft!  How do you think I felt?  Hum?  If it hadn't been for Optimus I never would have made it back.  My legs were sooo tired."  
              Mercy, Smudge's mate, cuddles them from the other side, tears streaming down her face, "Oh Coral, I'm so sorry.  I was so scared.  When Auma went one way, and my own went the other…  I'm so sorry, sweety."  
              Coral rubs her cheek to Mercy. "It's okay.  I shouldn't have gotten distracted by those picture books…"  
              Optimus and Firestar just stare at each other too stunned for words.  Yet finally they peak up via closed com since, they don't have a real sparklink.  
             /Books?  Takes after her sire getting lost in them./  
            /Takes after her mother getting lost./  He smirks.  
           /Hey!/  She slugs him hard in the shoulder, knowing he can take it. And DESERVED it!  /I was not in charge of that navigation, you oaf.  Moonracer was./  They both chuckle to that pleasant memory.

           Then they both turn back to the family before them.  Three of Firestar's children. One all grown up taking after his father's footsteps with a mate and sparkling of his very own.  And then her older Auma sired by Inferno, and right beside her, nearly the same size even though younger, Optimus' daughter Coral. Still a mystery how Primus let two damage sparks create a sparkling!   
            Optimus puts an arm around Firestar's shoulder.  /She's beautiful./  To anyone else, it would be no big deal because after all, Inferno, Firestar, Elita, Optimus, Chromia, and Ironhide were quite the troop.  To Firestar and Optimus though the one armed hug means a bit more.  
             /She's wonderful./  Firestar leans into his support.  Most of all, she is relieved that his isn't mad at her for hiding Coral.  
            Even though it's a closed com, his voice chokes. /I can't leave her./  
           Now her head rest to his shoulder, right against his Autobot insignia. She too chokes.  /I haven't the spark to make you leave./  
           The little lost femme reaches for Firestar, but turns her head to Optimus, "You'll give that message to my Sire, right?"  
           Firestar gathers her lost daughter close. /What message, Optimus?/  
           Optimus is so choked up he coughs to clear his throat.  Duty to protect all Cybertron with the weight of the Matrix resting on his spark.   _Dis-spothched, indeed._ If he stays here, he can not help the Autobots secure the universe for his daughter's future.  He takes a heavy sigh.  
             "Yes of course youngling.  I will give your sire your love and message."  He leans forward and places a kiss on her forehelm, "He is a very blessed mech to have you waiting for him and reminding him of his duties in this war.  Keep strong little one.  I'll do what I can to bring him home to you soon."  
            With that he manages to break optic contact with her.  He turns to Firestar and clutches her tightly in bot of his arms.  Pressing his lips to her audio receptor he whispers out loud, "Thank you Primus for Coral.  Thank you, Firestar."  Pulling back he kisses her temple and then walks back to his waiting shuttle afraid to turn back.  For if he does, he will never go back to being Prime.  He will remain Coral's Orion.

~~oo~~

              The pinging of the intercom drags Optimus awake.  He reaches up and slaps it, activating the cursed thing.  
             "Optimus, are you coming?"  
             "Coming where?"  He groggily responds.  
             "The refugee planet?  You were going to meet with Smudge about supply arrangements.  Are you feeling alright?"  
             Slowly it's coming together.  Was that all a dream?  Could he really walk away from Coral if he really did meet her?  Would he abandon the Matrix back to Rodimus and try living a family life with Coral and Firestar?  Firestar…. What if he goes and there is no Coral?

             "Sir?"  
              "Uh… I'm thinking."  
              "What should I tell Smudge?"  
               "Tell him…….."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeahhhhhh, I'm evil.
> 
> I'll let you decide if his One Day with Coral is a dream or reality.


End file.
